Outgoing IDEA Chair Carlyle Coutinho Channels His Inner Tom Brady in Rousing Speech at IDEA2024
At IDEA2024, the International District Energy Association’s 115th Annual Conference & Trade Show, outgoing IDEA Chair Carlyle Coutinho, CEO, delivered compelling and thoughtful remarks to conclude his term as chair of IDEA.
Coutinho took his cues from former start quarterback Tom Brady and tennis great Roger Federer –both of whom spoke about the value of teamwork, accomplishing things together and the power of hard work in recent speeches that went viral online. Federer took the stage as the Commencement speaker at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire in early June and Tom Brady spoke at his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts just days later, and just before the beginning of IDEA2024.
As Coutinho noted, they are “two athletes, two very different sports, but similar messages – the power of teamwork, preparation, working together to achieve success.” And, it’s a message he said is central to his work and that of his colleagues across the district energy industry. “I’m sure many of you share my feeling that we’re at a critical time as an industry. Over the past few years, we’ve described our evolution as a renaissance. We’ve earned greater attention as an industry with greater acknowledgement of district energy as a solution to climate change.”
This year, the annual conference organized under the theme “District Energy for Sustainable Cities,” a timely topic that Coutinho referenced in his address, and one that highlights district energy’s key role in the energy transition of cities today.
Coutinho’s advice to the crowd was to embrace the moment and ensure that their work addresses the energy needs of the present as well as the future. He also encouraged the IDEA2024 attendees to think outside the box as they help to align IDEA for future success, to “chart your own path” and “be a value contributor to our industry,” as he said.
IDEA applauds Coutinho for his leadership and commitment to the district energy industry and we look forward to our continued shared success. But, while we transition to a new chair at IDEA, we expect and look forward to Coutinho’s continued engagement. As he said, “I’ll share what you can expect of me going forward – to always respect our rich history as an industry, to understand the hard work that got us here, to acknowledge the hard work ahead of us as a critical solution combatting climate change, to support this industry with passion in journey forward, to do things differently, to be a catalyst for positive change and to achieve big goals.”
At the end of his speech during his induction ceremony, Brady told the crowd, “My name is Tom Brady, and I am a Patriot.” And, at the end of Coutinho’s speech, he echoed that sentiment by stating, ““I say this with great pride: my name is Carlyle Coutinho, and I am district energy.”
During his tenure as IDEA chair, Coutinho traveled the world on behalf of IDEA and was an active catalyst for education, awareness and industry growth. Thus, he not only spoke the words “I am district energy” in front of the attendees at IDEA2024, but he also embodied the values and spirit that statement represents - teamwork, hard work and the power of achieving success together.
Watch Carlyle's Outgoing Remarks!